John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, is the federal government's chief people person. He is responsible for recruiting, hiring and setting benefits policies for 1.9 million federal civilian employees.

 

He works closely with partners inside and outside of government to fulfill President Barack Obama's charge to "make government cool again by developing flexible, results-oriented HR policies and working to change how Americans view their public servants."

 

Berry shares his goal of building a workforce of dynamic innovators who put serving the American people at the heart of everything they do. "The university is pleased to have John Berry as our spring commencement speaker," says university President Wallace D. Loh. "His goal is to create a federal workforce of dynamic innovators fits perfectly with Maryland's push to create students who are more entrepreneurial and able to think outside the box."

 

With more than 20 years of experience in the federal government, Berry is a passionate and aggressive advocate for public service and federal workers. He developed expertise in employee and retirement issues during 10 years as legislative director for U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer, now the House minority whip.

 

During the Clinton administration, Berry served as deputy assistant secretary and acting assistant secretary for law enforcement at the Department of the Treasury. There, he supervised more than 40 percent of the federal law enforcement community, including the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. He then served as assistant secretary for policy, management and budget at the Department of the Interior.

 

Berry pursued his interest in conservation as director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation from 2001 to 2008, then as director of the National Zoo, where John the Lion is named after him.